>I just picked up Call of Cthulhu today (that’s Cath-u-loo) and my first impressions are mixed. I’m not overly good at this sort of game, but it looks really nice, though the graphics are a bit on the low side. It makes up for it by it’s use of shadow, and cinematic effects.

You’re a PI in the 1920s (maybe a tad before) and you begin your journey investigating an odd Cult that’s set up near a seaside community in Massachusetts. They’re involved in horrific experiments, and the experience leaves you scarred and amnesiac.

You then get a mysterious call to investigate a missing person. As you enter the town of the young man’s disappearance you realize that “out of the ordinary” just doesn’t describe it. After investigation the clues fall into place.

I’ve barely gotten the hook, there’s no weapons yet, and things are just starting to make more sense. I must say it was a tad frustrating to go to every door in the town hearing “I can’t open that” or “it won’t budge” before I finally found the right light to go investigate.

I suppose once you get into it you’ll find the linear path, but the open ended linear can sometimes be frustrating. It’s Survival Horror, but very unique. It strives to keep you in the mood, in-game cinematics appear with occasional film lines, as if watching a film noir. You don’t have a HUD, only your breathing, blood spatters, and your sanity to tell you how you’re feeling and movable objects have tell-tale scratches on the floor. Important objects are often well placed for the light to hit, so I haven’t walked past much but I’ve also heard a lot of “hohum” descriptions of ordinary objects.

As you come across gory scenes, and stressful situations, your sanity starts to wear thing, you have panic attacks, breath harder, slow down, and the camera effects start. Blurring, grayed vision, hallucinations… it’s all very exciting.

Ever since Matt told me about it I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled. That was about year and a half ago, and the last I knew it was going to be out for February/March. I don’t mind, I’d rather see them wait, although the minimum requirements on the game is a PIII 866 w/ 256mb of RAM. I can imagine it was a while in the making, and it looks like they did well with what they had.

It is telling the story well, and until I can get to the actual weapons and fighting, I don’t think I can say much more about it.

I think Bethesda is my new favorite software publisher. I can’t stand to see EA eating up the world. Apparently they’re not known for their love of their employees – mandatory overtime… chains… and acid baths is what I hear.

So tolerate EA and their monopoly and LOVE Bethesda for things like Call of Cthulhu & Oblivion! Yay!